Aretha Franklin’s “Natural Woman” Blasted By Trans Advocacy Group

Source: Gary Gershoff / Getty

Back in 1967, Aretha Franklin scored a Billboard Top 10 hit with the iconic tune, “(You Make Me Feel Like a) Natural Woman.” This beautiful track about how good a man could make a woman “feel good inside” would become one of the Queen of Soul’s signature songs. However, over 50 years after it first hit the charts, the track is making headlines again for what some say are the wrong reasons.

On Friday (Jan. 20), a Norway-based advocacy group, the Trans Cultural Mindfulness Alliance, condemned the track, claiming that it ignited harm against trans women. They are calling for streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music to pull the track.

Aretha Franklin’s 1968 song “Natural Woman” perpetuates multiple harmful anti-trans stereotypes.

There is no such thing as a “natural” woman.

This song has helped inspire acts of harm against transgender women.

TCMA is requesting it is removed from Spotify & Apple Music.

— TCMA: Trans Cultural Mindfulness Alliance (@TransMindful) January 20, 2023

As NY Post reported, the song was deemed a powerful song and had an inspiring message. She even performed the hit at the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C., in 2015, in tribute to the songwriters, Gerry Goffin and Carole King. It would be one of Aretha’s final televised performances before her passing in 2018.

Twitter users, in response, disagree with the group’s stance. One user tweeted, “So, someone heard the song and attacked trans people? What are things that never happened for $400.” Others were left wondering if this was coming from a parody account or some random internet troll. “I can’t tell if this is satire, that’s where we are now,” said another user.

The group not only reiterated that they are a real group, but they made a follow-up request on Monday (Jan. 23). This time, they blasted LaBelle’s 1974 hit, “Lady Marmalade,” and actually called out Patti LaBelle in the tweet, demanding that she stopped performing the song.

The song “Lady Marmalade” by Patti LaBelle assumes that only cisgender women can be sex workers.

This song is inherently transphobic + does a disservice to all those in the trans sex work community.

TCMA condemns @MsPattiPatti + encourages her to STOP performing the song.

— TCMA: Trans Cultural Mindfulness Alliance (@TransMindful) January 23, 2023

No word on whether Franklin’s estate, LaBelle, or any of the streaming services will even respond to the demands.